Doing a PhD in law – the untold

PhD students often joke that the supervisory relationship is like a fixed-term marriage. Once you’re “married”, you will be more committed. You cannot ask for a “divorce” whenever you have a disagreement. If the relationship turns sour, its later consequences will be a headache for you – the early-career researchers. It is particularly worse for international students from poor countries as they lack networking experience. Their research profile has not developed to the extent that they can be independent. As a result, you will rely a lot on your supervisor.